Malawi president Peter Mutharika has taken oath of office with a call to his political foes to accept poll results and move on to develop the country.

He said this on Tuesday during his swearing-in ceremony together with Malawi vice president Everton Chimulirenji after their victory in the May 21, 2019 contested presidential election.

Addressing thousands of supporters who thronged Kamuzu Stadium on Tuesday, after taking being sworn in, Mutharika began his short acceptance speech by telling the gathering that he is not dead in reaction to earlier speculation that he was dead.

Mutharika said it is now time for opposition political leaders to contribute collectively with the present government to the national cause.

While describing his win as victory of the rule of law and democracy, Mutharika also thanked Malawians for voting him as president for the next five years.

He also thanked Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice Dr Jane Ansah and all MEC commissioners for managing the elections very well.

Mutharika described the elections as free, fair and credible and said Malawians should be proud as for the first time the May 21 elections were bankrolled by tax payers.

Clad in blue suit, Everton Chimulirenji was first to take oath of office as Vice President of Malawi which was administered by Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda.

Some of the influential people who attended the swearing-in ceremony include former president Bakili Muluzi, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) officials, High Court and Supreme Court judges and heads of international elections observer missions.

Mutharika and Chimulirenji will be inaugurated as Malawi president and Vice president respectively on Friday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.